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My mother visited us about a week and a half ago, and we made scones over the weekend to enjoy on a rainy day! We made plain scones as well as these beauties, and since there are enough scone recipes out there, I thought I’d share this one instead!

The cheddar we used was an extra mature Cornish Cracker, and I’d recommend you use something as sharp and flavourful. No point in getting mild or medium cheddar!

Four of my favourite, maddest cousins have asked for this recipe in the last week so more to pacify them than anything else, here’s the recipe! It’s really easy and great fun – and there’s room for you to add your favourite dried herbs and extras. Enjoy with some mustard, pesto, a strong cup of coffee and good company – like your mother 🙂

Idlis are a delightful south Indian breakfast. These steamed delicacies are a must in most Tamilian families, and have found favour in a lot of restaurants serving South Indian food all over the world. They are 100% vegetarian and vegan too! If you decide to make idlis, you need to plan on it two days ahead. The following recipe is my mother’s secret one, and it works like a dream!

Ingredients:

Idli rice – 4 cups (This is a special kind of rice found in many Indian stores)

Urad dal – 1 cup (Any urad dal will do, but if you get whole urad dal, skin removed, but the grain in tact, that is the best. This is called “Gota Urad Dal))

This is my favourite kind of winter kuzhambu. It uses a large variety of vegetables and is delicious with plain rice or parathas. The actual name is Tiruvadurai Kuzhambu, but when I was in school, I named it ‘All Sorts Kuzhambu‘ because it had all sorts of vegetables in it. Living in Europe, I have adapted this kuzhambu recipe to include the vegetables available here. And it tastes just as delicious!

This version is low-fat, so I have included no coconut or jaggery in it. The sweet potato and pumpkin give it a natural sweetness. The end result is delicious! Dieters can eat it without any guilty pangs!

An unlikely combination, you might think. But it works really well. Ideal for the hot summer we have in store! The tartness of the lemon juice in the dressing cuts through the sweetness of the beetroot and makes this a satisfying and healthy salad option!

Idlis are a delightful south Indian breakfast. These steamed delicacies are a must in most Tamilian families, and have found favour in a lot of restaurants serving South Indian food all over the world. They are 100% vegetarian and vegan too! If you decide to make idlis, you need to plan on it two days ahead. The following recipe is my mother’s secret one, and it works like a dream!

Ingredients:

Idli rice – 4 cups (This is a special kind of rice found in many Indian stores)

Urad dal – 1 cup (Any urad dal will do, but if you get whole urad dal, skin removed, but the grain in tact, that is the best. This is called “Gota Urad Dal))

Plain rice – 1 cup

Cooked rice – 1 cup

Fenugreek seeds – 1 tsp.

Method:Soak overnight:

Wash and soak all the rice together (except the cooked rice). Make sure the water is about 2 inches above the rice.

Wash and soak the urad dal with the fenugreek seeds.The water level should be 2 inches above the dal.

The next day, take out your blender and get started.

First, add the soaked urad dal with the fenugreek seeds to the mixer jar. Add a little bit of water and run the blender.

Add more water if needed, till the dal is ground to a silky smooth paste. This step is important, as it will determine the softness of your idlis.

Transfer it to a very large container, or divide it among two smaller containers.

Now, in the same blender jar, grind the rices, without adding too much water, just enough to blend the contents of the jar and keep the blender running smoothly.

Grind all the rice this way, dividing the rice among the containers.

Once you have ground all the rice – get mixing. You will need to do this by hand, as the fermentation is much better this way.

Make sure that the containers are not more than 30% full, as you will have to leave room at the top for it to rise.

Leave to ferment overnight in a warm place.

The next morning, the batter would have fermented and will be giving off a lovely smell.

Mix the batter again gently.

Get your idli steamer going. Grease the idli plates well, and half fill with the batter.

Steam over medium heat for about 15 minutes.

Now take it off the heat, or switch it off. Rest the idlis for 7 – 10 minutes.

Unmoulding the idlis:

Remove each plate of idli from the stand.

Sprinkle with water .

Take a sharp edged knife or spoon, and run it around the edge of each idli, releasing it from its mould.

Stack all the idlis in a container and serve hot with coconut chutney, sambar and ‘molagaipodi’.

Baked beans de-luxe (without ANY fat!) Spicy and delicious with all the elements of the canned baked beans that we all love. This is a good dish to have in your refrigerator. You can even freeze some, if you like. I promise you will never buy a can of baked beans again, once you make this recipe!

White beans

Onions, brown sugar, paprika and black pepper

Juat one cup of tomato purée

And the delicious Baked Beans are ready.

Ingredients:

Dry white beans – 3 cups (soaked overnight)

Onion – 1 large. or 2 small ones

Tomato purée – 1 cup

Brown sugar – 1/2 cup

Ground pepper – 1/2 tsp.

Paprika – 1/2 tsp.

Salt to taste

Method:

Chop the onion finely.

Boil the beans in a big heavy pot, covering the beans with water by at least one inch.

When they are soft, add all the other ingredients. Do not add salt or sugar before the beans are fully cooked, as this will harden them.

Let everything cook together for another 20 minutes.Taste and add any other ingredients, like salt, pepper or sugar.

This is one of my family’s favourite paneer dishes. The list of ingredients may seem quite lengthy, but the end result is worth it. I use milk with cornstarch dissolved in it instead of cream. But you could use cream, if you wish.

This dish never fails to please and satisfy even the most picky eaters!

The ingredients all freshly ground.

The masala paste, frying

Paneer masala. Ready to be served.

Ingredients:

Paneer, cut into small pieces – 300 g.

Tomatoes – 2, finely chopped

Milk – 1/2 cup

Cornstarch – 1 tsp.

To be ground into a paste:

Onion – 1

Tomatoes – 2

Garlic – 2 cloves

Ginger – 1 inch

Cinnamon – 2 pieces, 1 inch each

Cloves – 2

Cardamom – 5

Red chillies – 3 (de-seeded)

Fresh coconut – 1 tbsp.

Method:

Cut the paneer into 1 inch pieces and soak them in warm salty water. This softens the paneer.

Grind all the ingredients in the “To be ground” list. This is your spice paste.

Heat 2 tbsp. oil in a big wok on medium heat.

Add the spice paste to the wok.

Stir-fry for about 4 minutes. Add the chopped tomatoes to the paste and let it cook together, until the tomatoes are softened.

Add the paneer pieces to the wok, mix in well, and cook for another 10 minutes.

Dissolve the cornstarch in the milk, and add to the contents of the wok. Cook on medium heat until the mixture thickens. Turn off the heat.

Autumn is a good time to make this dish as there are so many different kinds of onions available. Tweaking the usual recipe; I’ve used paprika, three different kinds of onions, and a simpler marinade. And it was absolutely delicious!

The key factor, I think is the garam masala – made in the last minute and added right away.

I learnt how to make this from my sister Roopa, many years ago. To this day it is a hot favourite at home, and my son eats this, not just with tortilla chips but also with his omelettes, swearing it is better than ketchup (which used to be his favourite dip!).

You can add as many tweaks as you would like. It’s all a personal choice!

Getting ready to roast

Roast till tomatoes blister and blacken

Ready to get together

Salsa with coriander leaves

Ingredients:

Fresh tomatoes – 1 kg

Onion – 1

Peeled garlic – 1 clove (optional)

Fresh chilli or jalapeño – 1

Lemon juice /cider vinegar – 2 tbsp

Roasted cumin powder – 1 tbsp.

Salt to taste

Chopped cilantro, basil or oregano – 1 tsp of the oregano, and 2 tbsp of the cilantro or basil.

Note : Remember the dry oregano has a very strong flavour, while the fresh cilantro and basil do not.

Method:

Preheat the oven to 200 degrees Centigrade.

Wash and dry the tomatoes. Remove the stalks.

Cut an X on the bottom of each tomato.

Peel the garlic clove (if using), and cut each clove of garlic into small pieces.

Insert each piece into the X cut into each tomato .

Grease a big roasting tin with olive oil.

Place the tomatoes in it.

Peel and cut the onion into big chunks.

Put them in the roasting tin along with the tomatoes.

Put the fresh chilli into the tin.

Drizzle everything with a tablespoon of olive oil.

Place the tin in the oven.

Roast it for about 30 minutes or till the skin blackens and blisters.

Take the tin out of the oven and leave it to cool. When the tomatoes are cool enough to handle, peel them if you want to. (I usually don’t.)

Get your blender ready. Add the tomatoes (with the garlic pieces in them), the roasted chilli , the roasted onion, the roasted cumin powder, lemon juice or vinegar and salt to taste. Blend to the desired consistency. Taste, adding more seasoning, if needed.

Add chopped herbs or dried oregano, whichever you prefer using. Remember each will lend its own unique flavour to your salsa!

This salsa will last for more than four weeks in the refrigerator.

To make roasted cumin powder:

Put a small pan on medium heat. Toss in 1/2 cup of whole cumin seeds. Toast them till they turn a toasty brown, and give out a lovely aroma. Take off the heat, and cool it. You can now grind it into a fine powder. It makes a delicious addition to your salsa or any salads or raitas you make! You can store the roasted cumin powder in a jar for months.

Do start off with cumin seeds, not cumin powder. Cumin powder tends to scorch easily if toasted.

This is another of the chutneys that is used to make bhel puri. The ingredients I have used is a variant on the date and tamarind chutney. This chutney can be used as a dip for a lot of snacks, and a bit of it can also be smeared on a sandwich for extra flavour.

Dry plums, tamarind and jaggery

Ready to be scooped up!

Ingredients:

Dried plums – 1 cup

De-seeded tamarind – 1 cup

Jaggery or soft brown sugar – 1 cup

Black salt – 1 tsp.

Cumin seeds – 1/2 tsp.

Roasted cumin powder – 1/2 tsp.

Method:

Soak the dried plums. tamarind and jaggery in 1 cup of hot water.

When cool enough to handle, put them in a blender jar blend together until you get a thick, smooth consistency.

Heat up a big pot or wok, add 1/2 tsp. of cumin seeds and roast them gently.

Add the blended purée, the salt and roasted cumin powder and bring to a boil.

Let it cook for about 10 minutes on a low heat.

Remove from heat, cool down and store in the refrigerator. You can also freeze a portion of it at this stage.

Wash the coriander leaves and stalks, and leave to drain in a sieve.
Skin the ginger and cut into small chunks.
Peel and chop the onion.
De-stalk the green chillies, and de-seed them, if you want.
Get your blender jar ready, and add all the above ingredients to it.
Now add lemon juice, salt, sugar and roasted cumin powder. Blend all the contents together, adding a little water, if necessary.
Blend to a smooth paste. Taste for salt, sugar and acidity, adding more if necessary.
Store in a container, and use within a week.
You could freeze some, as this chutney is great to have on hand.

Heat the stock to boiling point. Stir, and add the olive oil, and then the cous-cous. Let the stock get absorbed by the cous-cous.

Cover and let it sit while you prepare the rest of the ingredients.

Wash and roughly chop the salad leaves. Wash the cocktail tomatoes, and remove any stalks that are attached to them.

Drain the mozzarella.

Salad dressing:

Ingredients:

Juice of 2 lemons

Honey – 2 tbsp.

Mustard – 1 tsp.

Salt and pepper to taste

Method:

Mix all the ingredients together in a jar, cover tightly and shake till well-mixed. You can store the excess in the refrigerator, but do use it up in the next 2- 3 days.

Assembling the salad:

Take a large salad bowl and add the cous-cous.

Add the rest of the ingredients and then add the salad dressing.

Give it a good toss, cover and keep aside for about 30 minutes.

This salad refrigerates well, so it can be made a day earlier and packed in a lunch-box the next day.

Note: If you are cooking the chickpeas yourself, soak 1 cup of dry chick peas overnight in cold water. You can pressure-cook it the next morning with a pinch of bicarbonate of soda. The bicarbonate helps the chickpeas cook better. Do not add salt before you cook the chickpeas, but only after you take the chickpeas off the heat. This rule applies to all beans and lentils.

If you want a vegan version of the salad, just omit the mozzarella. For a hearty non-vegetarian option, add cooked chicken or any meats you like.

This is usually served with chappatis in restaurants in South India. It is one of the staples in my home, and can be served with chappatis (my preference) or rice. It is packed with vegetables and is absolutely delicious.

The vegetables for the kurma

The masala for the kurma

The blended masala paste

The kurma ready to be eaten

Ingredients:

For the kurma:

Potatoes – 4 cups, peeled and cubed

Carrots – 2 cups, peeled and cubed

Shelled or frozen peas – 1 cup

Beans – 1 cup, chopped. (or frozen beans)

For the masala paste:

Onion – 1 large, peeled and roughly chopped

Coconut (grated or cut into pieces) – 3/4 cup

Vegetable oil – 1 tbsp.

White poppy seeds – 1 tbsp.

Cinnamon – 2″ (5cm) piece

Green cardamom – 5

Fennel seeds – 1 tbsp.

Star anise – 1

Bay leaf – 1

Green chillies – 2

Ginger – 2″ (5cm) piece, peeled and roughly chopped

Garlic flakes – 4

Mint leaves – 1/2 cup

Curry leaves – 2 sprigs

Salt to taste

Method:

Parboil all the vegetables together with the star anise and bay leaf.

Heat a tsp. of vegetable oil in a big pan.

Add the dry spices to the oil and sauté for a minute. Now add the onion, garlic, ginger and green chillies and sauté for about 3 minutes. Add the coconut and remove from the heat.

Add these to a blender, and add 1/2 cup of water to the contents. Purée until fairly smooth.

Add the oil. When the oil is hot, add the chopped onions to the pan, and sauté until they are a pale golden brown.

Add the ginger and garlic pastes. Sauté for a minute, then add the chopped tomatoes, and sauté for a minute until they soften. Then add all the spice powders. Sauté for a further minute.

Now add the chicken pieces to the mixture. Add salt to taste. Cover and cook on medium heat, until the chicken is done. Now uncover the pan and cook the chicken until the mixture is dry.

Take the pan off the heat. Add the chopped onion, coriander and lemon juice, stirring well to incorporate.

The Rotis:

Ingredients:

Whole wheat flour or atta – 2 cups

Plain flour – 1/2 cup

Salt – 1/2 tsp.

Water to knead the dough

Dry flour to roll the rotis out

Method:

Mix the two flours together. Add salt to the dry mixture.

Mix in the water, a tablespoon at a time, until the mixture comes together into a smooth and pliable dough. Coat with 1 tbsp of oil.

Cover the dough, and let it rest for about half an hour.

Heat a frying pan, until it is quite hot.

Now break off a lemon sized ball of the dough, sprinkle it with dry flour, and roll it out fairly thinly. Roll out all the dough this way. Put each rolled out roti on the pan, let it cook for a few seconds until the surface has a few bubbles appearing on it. Turn over the roti with a spatula. Lightly brush the cooked side with some cooking oil, turn it over, doing the same on the other side. Cook all the rotis this way, stacking them up once cooked.

Assembling the Kathi wraps:

Take a roti and lay it flat on a plate.

Put some of the filling in the centre.

Top with some coriander and mint chutney.

Now roll the roti, turning up one end, so that you get an enclosed wrap, like a burrito.

This is a great way of using up basil, if it grows in your garden. Every summer I plant basil in the garden, and make my own pesto. I freeze some for use during the year, and it is a burst of melody, reminding one of the warm summer months.

Fresh basil from the garden, parmesan cheese, garlic, almonds and olive oil… that’s all you need!

Freshly made basil pesto.

Ingredients:

Fresh Basil leaves – 2 cups, packed

Almonds, blanched – 1/2 cup

Garlic – 2 cloves

Olive oil – about 1/2 cup

Salt and pepper to taste

Freshly grated parmesan cheese – 1 cup

Method:

Wash and drain basil leaves.

Peel and chop garlic.

Put the almonds and garlic in the blender. Pulse till finely puréed.

Now add the rest of the ingredients to the blender, and blend till you get a smooth purée.Check for taste, adding more salt, if necessary.

You can now bottle the pesto and put it in the refrigerator. It will last for about 2 weeks this way.Cover the pesto with a thin layer of olive oil. This will prevent it from oxidising, and going ‘off’.If you are storing the pesto in the freezer, do not add the cheese while preparing it, as cheese does not freeze well.

How do you deal with breaking a fresh coconut in today’s modern kitchen?

The coconuts you find in supermarkets these days do not have the tuft of fibre on top, which actually extends their shelf-life, so you really need to know how to proceed.

The first step, is to buy a good coconut:

Shake the coconut. If it sploshes around, that is a good sign.

Then make sure that the eyes of the coconut are not discoloured, or the coconut is not cracked or leaking from anywhere.If it is, this is a sure sign that the coconut has gone bad. So just leave it alone on the shelf!

Make a ring between your index finger and thumb. Strike the coconut firmly with the nail of your index finger. If it makes a sweet ‘ping’ sound, the coconut is probably good! Head to the cash counter, pay and leave.

Do not leave your coconut aside for too long after this – break it the same day or the next.

Breaking the coconut:

Equipment you will need: a heavy, sharp-edged hammer, and a bowl to collect the ‘water’ once the coconut is broken.

Hold the coconut under a faucet for about 30 seconds. Now keep it aside for about 10 minutes.

Have a bowl ready to collect the water. Now, strike the coconut firmly around its ‘equator’ with the hammer. You will need to do this several times.

Once the shell is cracked, collect the water carefully in the bowl that you’ve kept aside. It makes a delicious drink! Split the coconut into two halves. Now, for the next step, chopping the coconut!

Chopping the coconut:

All you will need right now is a sharp knife to cut the coconut, and a plate to collect the pieces in.

Place a coconut half over a plate, and hold it so the inside is visible.

Make an incision in the coconut, till the knife touches the shell. Prise out the cut piece.

Make several sharp incisions like this till all the fruit is collected on the plate.

This is a fiery chicken curry from the Chettinad region of Tamil Nadu. The Chettiars, who live here, were traders, and travelled far to ply their goods. Therefore, their cuisine has influences from all over the world, so you will find spices from the far east, like star-anise, in the recipes from here.

The ingredients – a long list, but that’s what goes to make an unforgettable dish

The masala being sautéed before grinding. I used fresh coconut, not desiccated coconut, as there is a big difference in taste

This is a light and refreshing dish. And it goes with a host of side dishes – from chicken curry in coconut milk, to a cool cucumber raita – to deal with a hot day. Serve with some appalam, and you will have a great meal. And no, Sam and Sid, lemon juice is not a bright yellow in colour. You have to add a bit of turmeric powder to give it the characteristic yellow! The addition of raisins to the dish gives it the sweet-sour punch that is so-o-o delicious!

Lemon rice served with a cucumber raita

Only the appalam is missing!

Ingredients:

Cooked rice – 4 cups

Lemon juice – 100 ml. (I prefer fresh lemon juice)

Black mustard seeds – 1/ tsp.

Chana dal – 2 tsp.

Turmeric powder – 1/4 tsp.

Peanuts (unsalted, and with the skin on) – 2 tbsp.

Raisins – 2 tbsp.

Chopped ginger – 1 tbsp.

Green chillies – 2 (deseed and chop)

Curry leaves – 2 sprigs(chopped)

Asafoetida powder – 1/4 tsp.

Oil – 2 tbsp.

Chopped coriander leaves – 1 tbsp.

Salt to taste

Method:

Cool down the rice, adding 1 tbsp. of vegetable oil and salt, gently mixing it all together.

Take 1 tbsp. oil in a big, wide pan or wok. Sauté the peanuts till they are golden brown. Remove from heat, and keep aside.

Add the raisins to same oil and sauté till they are plump. Remove from heat, and keep aside.

In the same pan, add the mustard seeds and once they have finished spluttering, add the chana dal.